Push-pull control unit



March 17, 1953 A. OLINER ETAL PUSH-PULL CONTROL UNIT Filed Nov. 23, 1949 INVENT OR ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 17, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PUSH-PULL CONTROL UNIT Application November 23, 1949, Serial No. 129,036

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in a mechanical control unit for the remote control of valves, steering equipment, and other devices for which a positive control unit of the push'pull type is desired.

An object of this invention is to provide an operating mechanism comprising a wire to be pushed or pulled through a plurality of tubular guiding means which are adapted to be curved to accommodate them to conditions on a motor boat or the like, or to be looped into a loop of short radius without impairing the ability of the wire in the assembly to move readily in pushing or pulling to actuate a controlled member in remeans even though the guide means be curved or looped to admit of the guide means being installed in tortuous runs on a motor boat or the like.

It is a further important object of this invention to provide a cable assembly in which a springy wire is reciprocated in a copper tubeof small bore, and with means disposed about the copper tube whereby it is possible to bend the tube to. bends of about a two-inch radius without deforming the bore of the copper tube and 1 impeding movement of the wire therein, and so.

make the assembly applicable for use under conditions in which short bends are desirableor even necessary.

, Other and important objects and advantages of this invention will be more apparent from the following detailed description of the mechanism constructed and operated according to the principles of this invention.

In the accompanying drawings: 7 Figure l is a side View in elevation, with a part broken, and showing the transmitter and receiver and cable assembly of this invention;

Figure 2 is a top view in elevation;

Figure 3 is a section view on line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a section View on line 4-iof Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a section view on line 5--5 of Figure 1, and

Figure 6 is a view in section of the cable of Figure 1 with parts broken.

In the drawings. the numerals It indicate generally a transmitter assembly in which a rack bar H, is arranged reciprocable in guide means provided by a base plate 1 3, and a cover plate I l, which is removably secured to the base plate.

The cover plate is thicker than the bar I i, and has a left-hand portion provided with a slot or channel i5, opening downwardly, so that this portion of the cover plate cooperates with the base plate to guidedly house the bar II on four sides as it moves in this portion of the cover plate. The cover plate is also provided with a side slot iii, entering the channel I5, and the teeth ll, of a quadrant i8, enters the 'slot It to engage with the teeth ii of the bar 'I I. The portion of the quadrant i8, which is entered in the slot Because vertical and tilting movement of the quadrant are so limited simple means may be used to mount the quadrant for turning on the base plate. The quadrant i8 is provided with a bored top boss 2%, and a bottom boss 2!, and a bolt 22 is passed through the bosses and threaded into the base plate i3, and locked by a lock nut 23. An operating lever 2 is adjustably secured on the top boss 2%.

A portion of the cover plate I l, is cut away to define abutments 25 and 25, e. q. respectively, and are engageable with the clamping assembly 21, on the bar 5 i, to limit travel of the bar.

ihe clamping assembly 21' comprises a bottom portion 23, secured to the bar I i, and having an upstanding arm 29 which is bored for the passage of a wire 33. The arm 29 is also tapped to receive a threaded bolt 3 I, adapted to push a saddle member 32 into engagement with the wire 3!] to clamp the wire between the bottom portion and the saddle 32.

The right hand portion of the cover plate is channeled at 38, to receive the end of a cable 7 assembly, indicated generally at 33, and to coto discourage creepin of the wire when at rest. A tape 35, of a suitable treated cotton fabric, or of a suitable material from the resin family of plastics, is wrapped about the tube to act as a cushion for a metallic tape 35.

The metallic tape is wound about the tape 35 while both are being wound about the copper tube in a forming machine, and the metallic tape 36 is wound to define a tight fitting tube of interlocked helical convolutions pressed into locking engagement with the cushioning material, and pressing the cushioning material into intimate engagement with the copper tube. The metallic tape 36 is of bronze, or other non-mag netic material when the device is used adjacent to compasses.

The clamping means 37 hold the end of the outer tube 36 in clamped relation, and also the end of the tube 34, frictionally held to the tube 36 by the cushioning material 35, while adapted to allow movement of the wire 39, as the bar H is reciprocated, and to which bar it is clamped by the clamping means 27. Because of the helically convoluted surface of the tube 36 it is a. simple matter to so proportion'the slot 38 in the right hand end of the cover plate that the end portion'of the cable assembly can be pushed sidewise into the slot with little effort and still resist considerable pull. However, a. locking screw 39 is provided to engage the armor tube 35 in cooperation with the surfaces defining the slot 38 and the opposed surface of the plate I3.

The operating handle 24 with its cooperating instrumentalities may be termed the actuated member, while the remote end of the wire 3%) is connected to a receiver or operated member cs, which comprises a similar arrangement of parts, and to which similar numerals have been applied with the exception of the driven handle I to which the numerals 4| have been applied.

erating with the-cushioning material, provides means whereby the copper tube can be bent to take short bends without distortion of the wall of the tube. It is a commonexpedient to filla tube with rosin so that it may be bent without distortion of its bore.

The springy wire in the copper tube creates just enough drag to beneficially hold the controls connected to it at any desired setting without creeping.

We claim: 1. A push-pull mechanism for the transmis- .SiOIl of push and of pull between an actuated part and an operated part, said mechanism comprising an actuated part mounted for move- ..ment on a first rigid base, an operated part Inthe cable assembly just s described, bending of the copper tube to about. .a two-inch radius can be efiected without dis-- tortion of the bore of the tube.

mounted for movement on a second rigid base, a flexible and springy but normally inextensible wire connecting said actuated part with said operated part, a flexible housing for said wire, said housing comprising a first cylindrical metal tube receiving said wire for sliding movement therein and with friction drag to oppose creep of the wire in the tube, a cushion ofyieldable material tightly wound about the outer surface of said first tube, and a metallic tape wound in tight engagement with said cushion and formed during the winding thereof about said cushion to define a second tube having interlocked helical convolutions, and means on said first and second bases, respectively. securing the ends of said second tube stationary with respect to said bases and to thereby secure the ends of the said first tube through frictional engagement of said tube with said cushion and said second tube, and without deforming said first tube.

2. A push-pull mechanism for the transmiss'ion of push and of pull between an actuated part and an operated part, said mechanism comprising an actuated part mounted for movement on a first rigid base, an operated part mounted for movement on a second rigid base, a flexible and springy but normally inextensible wire connecting said actuated part with said operated part, a flexible housing for said wire, said housing comprising a first cylindrical metal tube receiving said wire for sliding movement therein with friction drag to oppose creep of the wire in the tube, a cushion of yieldable material wrapped tightly about saidfirst tube, and ametallic tape wound tightly about said cushionand formed during the winding thereof about said cushion to define a second metal tube having interlocked helical .convolutions in substantially locked engagement with said cushion, and clamp means on said first and second bases, respectively, securing the ends of said second tube stationary with respect to said bases and to thereby secure the ends of said first tube through frictional engagement of said first tube with said cushion and said second tube and without deforming said first tube.

ALBERT OLINER. l/VILLIAM F. ZIMNIERMANN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 7 Number Name Date 1,409,697 Fulton Mar. 14, 1922 1,582,378 Brueckmann .Apr. '27, '1926 1,951,723 .Burd et al. Mar. 20, v1934 2,136,652 Hart Nov. 15, 1938 2,168,067 Jones Aug. 1,1939 2,220,382 Zimmerman -l Nov.5, 1940 23,82,966 Arens Aug. 21, 1945' FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 495,424 Great Britain Nov. 14, 1938 670,988 Germany Jan. 28, I939 

